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Any reports on bunnies up NW way?
I was up there about a month ago, solo. (5 hour drive!) I was out for a couple hours in the late afternoon and then hunted till noon the next day. Saw very few. Traded in the bow for my 20 gauge. Killed 5, after walking a very long time. Checked out several of our favorite spots, didn't really find much till I got north, close to the border. Did I mention I walked and walked and walked?
Very little snow over there. The boys and I were waiting for some snow before I/we go back. It is snowing here at home now. Might be heading over there again in a couple of days.
Thanks, Dennis. Did you hunt straight north out of Craig?
Hello Mike. Yeah, we hunt north of Craig. There are a bunch of spots which we regularly hit between Craig and the border. Most areas have super thick sagebrush. One area is a rocky hillside with little sage. And there are areas with deep, or not so deep, draws. Some years they're in there, some years there is little or nothing to chase. And then, one area can be a consistent producer for decades, then suddenly the rabbits are gone from that spot. ???? Between myself, my sons and grandkids, and my nephew, 40 years and 2 to 4 trips a year - well, we have probably killed somewhere between a 1,000 and 2,000 rabbits over there. And yes, we eat all of 'em.
I have a good friend in Ft. Collins who made the trip over one winter, based on my recommendation. He made a video which he later posted on You tube. It is still there. Look it up. "Craig rabbit hunt." Great video.
I'll tell you something else. Over the years, I have had many people, who have been told of our success, who have come to me for info on Moffat County. I have sat down with them, face to face, looking over maps. I have told them exactly where to go and have given them all kinds of info on weather, equipment, motels, etc. What happens? After finding out it is a 5 hour drive, they decide its not worth the effort!! OK, fine with me. I don't mind giving people this info, because its NOT like telling someone about your secret elk spot. There is a never ending supply of rabbits over there, and very little hunting pressure over hundreds of square miles. In 40 years, I think I have encountered 2 other parties hunting rabbits.
Its a great opportunity for kids. Using a .22 or a 20 gauge, with close supervision, they will almost certainly get that "first kill."
If anybody else is interested, reply here or send me a pm. I'll do what I can to help.
Dennis in Loveland
I remember my first rabbit kill in the foothills west of Fort Collins. I was shaking worse than after killing my first elk with a bow. Skinned it, salted and stretched the hide, and tacked it to my wall. Great medicine for introducing kids to hunting.
Good info. We probably hunted a lot of the same cover. For three years we hunted elk up that road during the first week of January on a ranching for wildlife property. We had more fun hunting rabbits than elk! 8>)
Pretty slim up here this year. We have had a bout with the Hemoragoc disease in MW CO and Southern WY. Jack’s seem in good number but very few places with bunnies. Even in town (my mother in law loves in Craig) the numbers seem really low.
I make 2 to 4 trips out there every year. My son and I were up there the weekend before Christmas and hunted hard all weekend, and got 7 total. The just aren't thick like they were 6 or 7 years ago now. The first trip I made up there, my son was 7 at the time, and he missed more than he hit and we still killed 20 in a weekend. . We found some really good spots this past trip, but in general, the areas that have always been solid producers, just dont seem to hold the same number of rabbits as they used to.
